1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for sorting piece goods, in which ejection stations are successively arranged along a sorting line. A conveyor system is driven along the sorting line and is equipped with successively arranged sorting devices. Each sorting device has a conveyor belt drivable transverse to the sorting line for receiving a parceled article chargeable in a loading station. The article is then ejected in a controlled manner in an ejection station.
2. The Prior Art
Devices for sorting piece goods with a conveyor system guided along a sorting line with successive sorting devices are generally known.
For example, this type of sorting system is described in a company publication of the US company SANDVIK Sorting Systems, Inc. In this sorting system, ejection stations with lateral ejection slides are arranged successively along a sorting line. A conveying system movable along the sorting line is equipped with sorting devices successively arranged in the conveying direction. Each sorting device has a conveyor belt that is transversely drivable relative to the sorting line for receiving a parceled article, and for the controlled ejection of the article in an ejection station. Each sorting device is equipped with a reversible electric motor for driving the conveyor belt of the respective sorting device. The electric motors of the sorting devices are powered via sliding contacts.
In such a sorting system, the piece goods are loaded in a charging station on the conveyor belts of the sorting devices, one parceled article on each sorting device. The piece goods have a coding, which is detected prior to or in the course of loading the article on the sorting device. The driving motor of the conveyor belt of the sorting device receiving the parceled article rotates right or left depending on the coding, to eject the parceled article in a controlled manner in a defined ejection station.
The known sorting system has been successfully used. However, it is still in need of improvement because each sorting device requires a driving motor that must be supplied with electric energy via sliding contacts, which is very costly.